Next Lesson by Chris Woodley

Author:Chris Woodley
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
ISBN: 9781912430192
Publisher: Aurora Metro Press
Published: 2019-01-22T05:00:00+00:00

Scene 6 - Lesson 4: 1999

MEL All I’m trying to understand is the thinking behind choosing this particular play.

STEVE No disrespect Mel, but no one seemed to be concerned with my choice of A-Level play last year. Why this year? What’s changed?

MEL You tell me. (Beat) Look, all I’m doing is trying to understand why it’s attracted so much attention.

STEVE From who? Whose attention has it attracted?

Silence.

MEL There have been some raised eyebrows from the governors?

STEVE The governors. Which governor in particular?

MEL Well, a parent Governor.

Silence.

STEVE Right, I see. (Beat) Would this parent governor happen to be Maureen Parks?

MEL Steve, it’s not an attack on you. Mrs Parks raised some concerns that she thought the tone of the piece might be too adult for the students.

STEVE Too adult. How?

MEL She said she felt that some of the scenes might be too adult for the students.

STEVE Are you telling me Maureen Parks has sat down and read a Mark Ravenhill play?

MEL No. Well, I couldn’t tell you how much she has read but–

STEVE Have you read it?

MEL Steve…

STEVE I’m not trying to be rude. Have you read it?

MEL I’m familiar with his work.

STEVE So she wants me to cut the swearing? No disrespect Mel, but I think a bunch of seventeen-year-olds might have heard the word ‘fuck’ before.

MEL I understand. But I am not sure that it’s just the language she has a concern with.

STEVE What else does she have a concern with?

Silence.

MEL I think some of the themes.

STEVE The themes!

MEL I don’t think I need to spell it out to you Steve.

STEVE Ok, so last summer’s production of The Tempest, which had an all-male cast I might add, is fine by her. But her son playing a gay character for his A-level exam isn’t suitable… Seriously?

STEVE goes to leave.

MEL Steve.

STEVE I’m not changing it.

MEL Just hear me out on this–

STEVE She’s not the teacher, Mel!

MEL Surely there’s got to be another option.

STEVE When did we start letting the parents decide what we should and shouldn’t be teaching their kids? When?

MEL A parent has the right to take an interest in their child’s education–

STEVE Agreed. But if she wasn’t a governor would we be having this conversation? Would we?

MEL I haven’t made any decisions.

STEVE That’s not how it sounds to me. It sounds to me like I’m being asked to change what I’m teaching.

MEL There’s not another text that the students might enjoy?

STEVE That’s not the point. (Beat) I’m sorry, but if we are going to choose texts for the students to perform in, that they don’t care about or relate to… they aren’t going to engage with the work. It’s that simple. They’ll switch off. (Beat) The A-Level practical exam was up by twenty-five per cent last year. Not just down to me, but me and Kath choosing the right plays for the right kids. Trust us.

MEL I do.

STEVE That’s not how it looks to me. (Beat) It looks to me like you want me to change what I deliver to my students based on one parent’s concern.

MEL I haven’t asked you to do anything yet.

STEVE Yeah, yet. Exactly. If this was just a parent would we be having the same discussion? Or is it the fact that she is a governor?

MEL She is a parent, she’s allowed to enquire.

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